


Family

by trascendenza



Category: Brokeback Mountain (2005)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2007-01-31
Updated: 2007-01-31
Packaged: 2017-10-03 16:09:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,175
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19940
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/trascendenza/pseuds/trascendenza
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Established relationship AU. Jack and Ennis suddenly come into guardianship of the young baby of their housekeeper.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Family

**Author's Note:**

> Very belatedly written for planetgal471's holiday request. She asked for some J/E involving a newborn baby.

Samuel didn't cry once during the whole funeral.

Jack insisted that they should be impressed—any baby that could sit still for that long was bound to be a good kid. He rolled back on his heels, thumbs in his belt loops, laughing out loud. Giddy and grieving all at once, strangest thing. Ennis just nodded, quiet, knowing Jack needed something to be happy about.

But he knew better. When the calves stopped crying for their mothers, it usually meant they were giving up. That they were on their way to joining her.

He'd get the boy to cry yet.

:::

"Papers are all signed," Jack said, flopping onto the bed. "Arlene'll move in tomorrow."

"Got the room all ready for her while you two were gone," Ennis said, putting down the catalog and rolling onto his side, placing a hand on Jack's chest.

Jack's face was blanched, blank. "And Monette's things?"

"Packed in the closet. Figured Arlene might want to do somethin with them."

Jack nodded, closing his eyes. "She was so fuckin young," he whispered, his throat working convulsively.

Ennis brought their bodies flush and kissed the top of Jack's head, murmuring quietly.

Samuel wasn't the only one lost.

:::

"Jesus _motherfu_—" Jack cut off with a visible strain, holding Samuel as far away from his body as he possibly could. "Good Lord," he settled for.

Ennis rushed forward with the towel he'd been about to offer, patting down Jack's chest. "Fussy eater," he said by way of explanation as he cleaned up the mess.

"_Now_ you tell me." Jack grumbled, eying his shirt. "This thing sure did cost a pretty penny. Boy's got good taste, at least."

Samuel burbled something that could have been an agreement or a prelude to another digestive explosion.

Ennis quickly took him, laughing.

:::

"C'mon, Sammie. You can do it." Ennis held the bottle a little closer. Samuel scrunched up his small face even more, lips puckering displeasure. "C'mon. Please?"

Samuel still didn't cry, hardly ate. The wet nurse wasn't having any more luck with breastfeeding. The boy was fading and they were getting Doc Harold up here on Monday.

But his gut knew that it wasn't medicine the boy needed.

"Please? For Daddy?" He whispered, voice cracking.

Samuel slowly opened his eyes.

"Yeah, that's right, buddy." Ennis said, anything to keep those eyes open. "See this bottle here? Nice lady left it for you. Want t'see what it tastes like, huh? Bet it's real good. Just what you need, Sammie." Ennis brought up a finger and tickled him under the chin, speaking more nonsense, nearly crying in relief when Samuel kicked his feet and laughed.

Halfway through the story of his saddle bronc career, he slipped the bottle past those laughing lips and didn't even get a murmur or protest. By the time he'd finished telling Samuel about Junior and Francine, it was halfway gone.

And when Jack found them, the bottle was empty and Ennis was humming Samuel to sleep.

:::

"I'm startin to feel a little useless around here," Arlene joked, gesturing at Ennis and Samuel asleep in the easy chair.

Jack tipped the bottle neck of his beer at her. "Know what you mean. Didn't know better, I'd say Ennis was the real mama a his girls and not Alma."

Smoothing down the last creases on the pile of laundry, she stacked it up and hefted it into her arms. She was almost out of the living room when she turned and looked thoughtfully back.

"Forget somethin?" Jack asked, half-rising out of his seat to get whatever it was for her.

"Just thinkin. I never gave it no second thought about how nice you and Ennis was to Monette when she got herself knocked up. She was just your housekeeper, after all. Didn't have to do half what you done for her." She smiled, "Well. Guess I should say that I just… expected it from you. But him? Wouldn't have pegged him as the charitable type."

Jack looked fondly on Ennis, one of his large hands placed carefully on Samuel's golden crown. "He saves it up for when it matters."

:::

Jack flopped back onto the bed, tossing the spit-rag carelessly onto the floor.

"Took you for a ride, huh?"

"Sure did. That boy's tougher to handle than a bull with a whole clothesline full a red sheets wavin in front a him."

Ennis smiled, nothing big or fancy—wasn't his way—but one that lit up his eyes like earth in the sun, crinkled at the corners, the one that caught Jack's breath and curled his toes no matter how many times he saw it, and this time was no exception.

It was a smile he wanted to grow old seeing.

"What you lookin at?" Ennis said, voice light.

Jack tried to laugh off his sudden seriousness, all too aware that any overtures in that direction got Ennis squirming.

"Your ugly mug. Let's hope Sammie takes after my good looks."

"Don't know as you've seen yourself in a mirror lately, but I seen backsides a heifers that were prettier'n you."

"And what you doin lookin at the backsides a heifers? Thought mine was the only one you concerned yourself with."

Ennis's eyelids went to half-mast. "Plan on keepin that way, too."

Jack grinned. "Won't get no arguments from me."

Ennis smiled again and Jack leaned forward, unable to keep himself from tasting it.

"Jack," Ennis whispered, pulling Jack up flush and fast against him.

All through their slow and fierce kisses, he didn't stop smiling. As their bodies lined up and matched, fitted, Jack groaned into those upturned lips, and through the white spots pricking his vision, he saw it, that smile that guided him home, and he trembled, falling apart under it, holding it so close he couldn't breathe, but even then, it didn't falter.

He laughed, breathed it in, finally certain it wasn't going anywhere.

:::

"Comin in for a landin!" Jack cried, lowering Samuel onto the bed. "Watch your head, cowboy!" Samuel kicked his feet, squealing, hands joyfully fisted.

"And how's he supposed to sleep, you gettin him so excited?" Ennis asked, but his voice held nothing but warmth.

Jack carefully looked down at Samuel and not Ennis, unnecessarily adjusting the tiny pajamas. "Thinkin maybe you could sing to him."

Ennis was quiet for awhile and Jack decided to store that thought away for another night; Lord knows they'd have plenty, especially with Arlene having her own baby on the way soon.

But when they got themselves under the covers, Samuel between them, his small blue eyes looking up at them expectantly, Ennis started to hum. He put out his hand and let Samuel grasp onto one of his fingers, tiny fist barely covering the width of it. As the humming shifted into soft words, Jack turned off the light and put his arm around Samuel, closing his eyes.

"Go to sleep, go to sleep. Go to sleep, my little one," Ennis sang, his voice low and rasping, slow like a prayer, deep and hymnal.


End file.
